NBA Contract Year All-Stars: 12 Players Shining Before Their New Deals

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome is named as a starting guard on ESPN’s Contract Year All-Stars team. The list features 12 players who have raised their performance as their contracts near the end and who could sign major deals in the summer of 2027. The evaluation also considers the possibility of players being traded before the February trade deadline.

Jerome played in the 2018 NCAA Tournament game in which 16-seed UMBC defeated 1-seed Virginia. Jerome and the Cavaliers went on to win the NCAA championship the following season. In the NBA, he played two seasons with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City and one season with Stephen Curry in Golden State. The 29-year-old is expected to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Some names are not on the list. Players who have previously been selected to an All-NBA team or as an All-Star were not considered. For this reason, Anthony Davis of the Washington Wizards, Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Miami Heat, and Tyler Herro of the Milwaukee Bucks are not included. Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James was also left out because he holds a player option for the 2027-28 season.

Players whose teams hold options on them, such as Josh Hart of the New York Knicks and Rui Hachimura of the LA Clippers, were not evaluated either. Daniss Jenkins of the Detroit Pistons was left off the list because he could become a restricted free agent in 2027.

Jerome’s 2026-27 statistics show averages of 12.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Based on his contract status, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2027.